Anti-chafing device and method



July 12, 1966 M. L. GALLOVICH ANTICHAFING DEVICE AND METHOD Filed March23, 1964 United States Patent 3,260,261 ANTI-CHAFING DEVICE AND METHODMatilda L. Gallovich, 11544 S. Knox Ave, Alsip, Ill.

Filed Mar. 23, 1964, Ser. No. 353,820 3 Claims. (Cl. 128--149) Thisinvention relates to a novel composition and method having unexpectedutility in the treatment of skin malfunctions and disorders of the typecaused by excessive perspiration and the concurrent rubbing of adjacentmoist parts of the body together. More particularly, the invention isdirected to the use of such products in the treatment of erythema orerythematous inflammation of the skin, or, what is in the form morecommonly known as chafing.

Skin irritation and discomfort caused by chafing is experienced by manymen and women, particularly by persons who are overly stout. Chafing isalso a common complaint of members of the armed forces who have occasionto march for extended periods of time under conditions 'which areconducive to causing execessive exudation of perspiration. The sameproblem is experienced by persons engaged in certain specificoccupations, and particularly in climatic regions of relatively highhumidity.

While the problem has long existed and many types of solutions have beenproposed, none of the devices or methods have provided a completelysatisfactory solution. In each composition or prior art technique, oneor more undesirable or objectionable features may be recognized, and noproducts or treatments have proved completely satisfactory for thepurpose intended.

In the therapy of skin afflictions of the type described, powders" ofone kind and another have been used to provide a coating or covering andto protect the skin, at least to some extent, from moisture and fromintertriginous friction orabrasion. In some instances water proofpowders have been used in effecting protection against macerations fromsecretions of a watery nature. This technique has been effective to alimited extent, particularlywhere the skin has not become excoriated.Where, on the other hand, excoriation of the skin has occurred and'aweeping surface is present, absorbent dusting powders have been usedwith some success to take up fluid, from the surface of the skin and toeffect some degree of drying action.

Among absorbent powders which have found some use in the past and whichhave been more or less effective are starch, ground maize cob, talcum,chalk and kaolin, and various combinations of these and similar mineralproducts. The efficacy of each of these substances is limited and nonehas solved the problem of keeping the skin adequately dry or preventingirritation or chafing in intertriginous areas. Starch has a tendency tocake, decompose and lose its effectiveness. Kaolin, talcum, chalk,bentonite, and other clays and related materials such as powdered maizecob have been used in combination with antiseptic compositions such asboric acid, salicyclic acid, and others. In stll other compositionsbactericidal and/or fungicidal additives have been incorporated. Thepropensity to caking and to decomposition, the minimal and ineffectiveabsorptive powers, and the physcal problems of attaining eifectvecoverage over extended time periods have rendered all of these methodsconsiderably less effectual than would be desired, particularly in thetreatment of skin conditions where moisture is present.

The present invention now provides, for the first time, a compositionand technique which is surprisingly effective in the treatement of skinirritation in intertriginous areas and obviates the principal cause ofand the common objectonable discomfort referred to as chafing,

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As described above, the prior art methods and techniques have for themost part been directed to coating or covering the skin areas normallyaffected and subjected to erythematous inflammation. The prior artapproach has in substantially every case been to apply a powderymaterial to the intertriginous areas or to wrap these areas with gauzeor cloth. While these various methods have had some degree of successfor limited periods of time, as additional moisture accumulates, thestarch, talc, cellulose, or other powder becomes pasty, and absorbentfabrics and related materials become damp and uncomfortable. Thus,whether powders are used or whether a wrapping or absorbent gauze orgarment is used, the protection afforded is short-lived and chafing andskin irritation result.

It is the aim: of this invention to provide a simple mode of treatmentfor a prevention of chafing and its associated physical manifestations.It is a principal object of the invention to provide an out-of-contactmethod of treatment whereby inflammation of the skin produced by therubbing of two adjacent moist parts together is obviated.

Another object of the invention is to provide an effective means forremoving and controlling a principal cause of skin inflammation of theintertrigo type commonly referred to as chafing.

A related object of the invention is to provide a device which may beworn concealed upon the person and which will reduce the relativehumidity in regions adjacent or proximate those body portions norm-allyafflicted with chafing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple devicecontaining a desiccant, which desiccant may be reactivated by a simpleheating process to dispel moisture contained in .the desiccant to readythe desiccant for continued and repeated use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from a reading of the following specification taken inconjunction with the drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a dechafer packet embodying the principles ofthe invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of another form of the packet of the invention;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of still another form of the packet of theinvention;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5; and

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion encircled inFIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly to FIG- URES 1 and 2, forpurposes of disclosure, the anti-chafing device of the invention isshown embodied as a bag or packet 11 fabricated of a moisture-permeablematerial or fabric 12 which may be cotton or any other textile orsynthetic porous fabric having the requisite physical strength, wovenand non-woven fabrics of natural and synthetic materials, or plasticsheet material (FIGURES 3 and 5). In most cases, the latter materialwill require perforations 13 in order to permit the transmission ofWater vapor from the exterior inwardly to the desiccant 15 contained inthe bag. Still other types of material which are useful as containersfor the desiccant 15 are fiberpolymer alloys such as the poromericCorfam (Du Pont) or synthetic sheet materials which are inherentlymicroporousand are breathable. Compositions typical of this unique classof materials include polyurethanes and reinforced polyesters.

The desiccant 15, which is contained in the bag or packet is preferablyof a rather fine granular form and may be a hygroscopic salt such assodium chloride or calcium sulphate. In one embodiment of the inventionthe desiccant composition may include a deliquescent liquid such asglycerol or propylene glycol. In a preferred embodiment of the inventionthe dessicant is granular silica gel which is particularly suitable notonly because of its high capacity for absorbing moisture but also forits chemical inertness and its inherent light weight. In order toindicate the relative degree to which the packet has absorbed moisture,the fabric or other enveloping material used may be treated with amoisture indicator such as a cobalt salt (cobalt chloride) of the typewhich undergoes a characteristic color change as a function of theabsence or presence of appreciable quantities of moisture.

The construction of the bag of packet itself is not critical. It may beformed or fabricated of a single piece of material originally generallyrectangular in shape and then folded along a diagonal to provide a finalstructure which is triangular in form (FIGURE 1). Closure of the bag orcontainer may be effectuated by stitching 17 or other mechanical meansincluding stapling, or, if preferred, may be by means of adhesives 19 orthrough the use of temperature sensitive sealing means. The packet mayalso consist of two sheets of fabric or equivalent material superimposedand joined along their peripheral edges to define a pillow-likecontainer. If preferred, the peripheral edges of the packet may bejoined using a tape or band 21 stitched or adhesively bonded to opposedside members of the envelope.

In the prior art treatment of or the prevention of chafing and itsassociated irritations, absorptive materials including clays and talcand also including absorbent cloth have been applied directly to theskin area affected. In many instances, this mode of treatment has merelyaggravated the condition rather than providing a cure or preventive. Incontrast, applicants method is to treat the cause of irritation at itsvery source. That is, applicant does not physically contact or apply anyabsorptive material to the skin. A clay or powder so used absorbsmoisture, becomes paste and causes irritation. Absorptive fabrics soonbecome uncomfortably damp and abrasive. Applicants method is to reducethe moisture content of the air proximate the skin area normallyaffected. To this end, the moisture-permeable container carrying thedessiccant is carried on ones person, either by insertion in a pocket ofa garment or by suspension from a garment, without any inconvenience ordiscomfort. The desiccating bag, pad, packet, om pouch so disposedprevents accumulation of moisture adjacent the skin areas normallyaffected by chafing. In accordance with the practice of the invention,it has been found that the reduction of moisture concentration in theambient air adjacent the contacting body parts is remarkably effectivein obviating the moisture-induced friction and abrasion which gives riseto chafing and its associated discomfort.

It is thus seen that the present invention provides a simple andeffective method for the prevention of chafing and related skin abrasionand inflammation of the type induced by the rubbing together of moistbody parts. In addition, the present invention provides a simple yethighly effective mechanical device by means of which moisture, theprincipal factor contributing to chafing-induced inflammation of theskin, is eliminated,

4 While disclosures of preferred embodiments of the invention andpreferred methods for fabricating the novel device of the invention havebeen provided, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatnumerous modifications, changes, and variations can be made withoutdeparting from essential spirit of the underlying principles of theinvention. It is, therefore, desired by the following claims to includewithin the range of the invention all such variations and modificationsby which substantially the result of this invention may be obtainedthrough the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

What is claimed is: 1. The method of obviating erythematous inflammationof the skin produced by the rubbing of two adjacent moist body partstogether, said method comprising:

packaging a desiccant within a moisture-permeable container,

carrying said container on the person in a region proximate butout-of-contact with contiguous skin areas susceptible to chafing in thepresence of relatively high moisture concentration,

carrying said container on the person adjacent said region butout-of-contact with and spaced from and free from direct and indirectabutment against said skin areas, to reduce thereby moistureconcentration in atmosphere contacting said skin areas and to reducesurface moisture on said skin areas to prevent thereby chafing of skinsurfaces contacting and rubbing one against another without interposingany intervening article between said skin surfaces. 2. The method oftreating erythematous inflammation of skin caused by the rubbing of twoadjacent moist body parts together, said method comprising:

supporting a desiccant-containing moisture-permeable bag near to andout-of-contact with said body parts in a region susceptible to andaffected by moistureaggravated chafing,

carrying said bag on the person proximate said body parts butout-of-contact and spaced from and free from direct and indirectabutment against said body parts, thereby to expose ambient atmospherecontacting said body parts to desiccant contained in said bag, and,without interposing any intervening article between said body parts,

absorbing moisture from said atmosphere into said desiccant to reducethereby moisture present in said atmosphere and on said body parts andto reduce thereby inflammation due to rubbing of moist body parts oneagainst another.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said desiccant contained in said bag isselected from the group consisting of relatively inert deliquescentchemical agents, hygroscopic salts, clay and silica gel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,144,632 1/1939Melton 16784 2,230,903 2/1941 Ostenberg 252-42.? 2,505,720 4/1950 Peiseret al. 2,638,594 5/1953 Brent et al 128-574 3,004,895 10/1961 Schwartz16784 OTHER REFERENCES U.S. Dispensatory, 25th Edition, LippincottCompany, Philadelphia, Pa., 1955, p. 1848.

ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

1. THE METHOD OF OBVIATING ERYTHEMATOUS INFLAMMATION OF THE SKINPRODUCED BY THE RUBBING OF TWO ADJACENT MOIST BODY PARTS TOGETHER, SAIDMETHOD COMPRISING: PACKAGING A DESICCANT WITHIN A MOISTURE-PERMEABLECONTAINER, CARRYING SAID CONTAINER ON THE PERSON IN A REGION PROXIMATEBUT OUT-OF-CONTACT WITH CONTIGUOUS SKIN AREAS SUSCEPTIBLE TO CHAFING INTHE PRESENCE OF RELATIVELY HIGH MOISTURE CONCENTRATION CARRYING SAIDCONTAINER ON THE PERSON ADJACENT SAID REGION BUT OUT-OF-CONTACT WITH ANDSPACED FROM AND FREE FROM DIRECT AND INDIRECT ABUTMENT AGAINST SAID SKINAREAS, TO REDUCE THEREBY MOISTURE CONCENTRATION IN ATMOSPHERE CONTACTINGSAID SKIN AREAS AND TO REDUCE SURFACE MOISTURE ON SAID SKIN AREAS TOPREVENT THEREBY CHAFING OF SKIN SURFACES CONTACTING AND RUBBING ONEAGAINST ANOTHER WITHOUT INTERPOSING ANY INTERVENING ARTICLE BETWEEN SAIDSKIN SURFACES.